"As you dig into your writing project, use your outline as a guide. But remember it’s just a tool to..."

“As you dig into your writing project, use your outline as a guide. But remember it’s just a tool to help you along, not the work itself. Things will inevitably change once you start writing. It’s an outline, so nothing is set in stone. If you need to, go back in, twist and tweak as necessary so that it works naturally with the story you’re trying to tell.

 

Having the roadmap–as detailed or bare bones as it may be–will help you plan your time wisely, especially if you want to stick to daily or weekly word count goals. But remember: Camp NaNoWriMo is supposed to be fun! Don’t torture yourself if you miss a day or two. And if you’re smart, you’ll build in some room for slacking off here and there. After all, we all need a break sometimes.”

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Sona Charaipotra first worked as a celebrity reporter at People and (the dearly departed) TeenPeople magazines, and has been a contributor to publications from the New York Times to TeenVogue. She’s the co-founder of CAKE Literary, a boutique book packaging company with a decidedly diverse bent, and the co-author of the YA dance dramas Tiny Pretty Things and Shiny Broken Pieces. She’s also proud to serve as the head of content for the non-profit We Need Diverse Books.

Your Camp Care Package is brought to you in partnership with We Need Diverse Books. Sign up to receive more Camp Care Packages at campnanowrimo.org.